She called because she was curious and wanted to tell me I should not discount the value of meds. I told her that I did not want my son on meds becuase there is nothing wrong with him and that I felt he was not recieving the education he deserves.
She admitted that the school tends to be med happy but that she knows from a friend how hard home schooling is.
I told her that it is really easy and feels good to do. She sounded suprised when I told her that it is only 2-3 hours a day.
Then she said that it was a good thing he had gone to school so that he has friends at least.
Then she started waffling saying that her son keeps getting passed on through math even though he is doing really bad and how much she hates the math program and where did I get my books so cheap. LOL
I told her and then she said that she could just go to Walmart to get stuff to help him.
I felt a bit attacked but I think she is just jealous! She said she did not think she could handle him being home all the time and I said that if she ever decides to home school that her son could play with my son all day after their studies were done. I also said that I would help her get in touch with the home school consignment shop I went to if she would like.
I guess I turned it around on her, she tried to make me feel I were doing something wrong but in the end I piqued her curiosity. Maybe I can convert all his friends parents, I wish!
So do you think I will have more curious parents calling?

You might. Around here homeschooling seems to be very common. I have had a few people use the dreaded socialization concern but after going through the activities and the co-op they are usually like ok. I have had some comments about how wonderful the district is to try and reassure me so I would continue to send dd. I have told people that dd will only be in the ps for 1 year max (God willing). I think most people who know me know better than to try and convince me otherwise. I do have a background in education so I am very capable of explaining our reasons.

I hope that freind comes around and that you can be a light in you community to the positive nature of homeschooling.

You know, my husband and I both got attacked on a forum just last night/early this morning. We both believe our attacker is jealous.

To make a long story short, some posters had said, snottily, "Some of us don't have the luxury of being able to homeschool, we need to work."

My husband replied with something to the affect of: We aren't rich. I don't make a ton of money. We've made choices. We choose not to have cell phones, car payments, cable television, take vacations, buy brand name clothing and shoes, dine out, etc., so that we can afford for Dawn to stay home and homeschool the children.

Well we got accused of being self righteous and thinking we are superior to everyone because we chose not to have a cell phone. Yeah, that makes sense to me.

I don't think I'm better than anyone over my decision not have a cell phone! I've just chosen not to be overly concerned with "stuff" and luxuries to do what is best for my children. How other people can be offended by MY sacrifices is beyond me. So, I think it's just a matter of being jealous. My "attacker" knows that he/she is unwilling to give up precious extra, stuff, gadgets, vacations, brand new car, to invest in his/her child's future. I feel sorry for my "attacker". The "attacker" has been fully and successfully indoctrinated into American Consumerism.

To douglisa, you will probably get a lot of questions, from your children's friends moms, people in the grocery store, and everywhere in between. People seem to be fascinated with homeschoolers. Sometimes I feel like a zoo exhibit. It's ok, I'm happy with my decision. It's too bad so many other people are uncomfortable with it.

Sorry, guess I needed to vent. My husband is working a 13 hour shift to support his unemployed homeschooling wife and mother of 3. I get a bit lonely for adult conversation.

That is so silly! Yep, sounds like jealousy, I think if everyone knew how great it is they would want to do it There are things many of us must give up to do what is right for our kids. I have been very verbal about home schooling telling people whenever I get the chance because I believe all children deserve a quality education. If I can help just one person see that home schooling is the way then great! In just one week my sons writing has improved and he talks with me about more things.
It seems like a rebelious thing to do, almost like I am going against the rules. It is sad that many of us have at all questioned if this is right. It is almost as if we have to seek approval for raising our own children. So many people are used to sending their kids away for someone else to do what we as parents are more than capable of.
You go girl!

hmmm... people who very well have no idea what goes on in the home schooling world typically say those things... i hope you do encourage other parents to homeschool, it really is such a great way to educate your kid and a great way to develop the family's relationship... goodluck

I'm just curious - how in the heck do you all homeschool only 2 or 3 hours a day?

Even when I wasn't using the A Beka DVD program we were in class 8:30-3:00 solid.

I'm not berating, attacking or anything at all like that - I'm just dumbfounded that we're in school from 8:30 - 3:00 and you all are only teaching 2 or 3 hours a day. Of course we do take a 1 hour lunch.

He's never once complained about the hours we school either.

"I don't know how old the devil was when he rejected God's authority, but my guess it would be 15"
- Parent of a 15 year old son -

He gets about 4 to 5 pages of work in each book done a day in math, science, reading, and spelling. I think that is pretty good for a 7 yr old.
The person who sold me the books said that if I do more than that he will get done too early. We plan on adding Spanish and piano lessons once we recieve the material, then we will up it to 3 hours a day. 1/2 hour per subject.
I see you have a fifteen yr old? I bet that when my son is that old we will have to up the amount of classes which would give us more hours too. I can't remember how many hours a yr it is supposed to be but the lady that sold me the books said that it fufills those hrs.

No, I'm teaching a 7 year old in 2nd grade now. The 15 year old is living with his mom.

We're doing about 11 pages of work a day in phonics, math, language, writing, reading 2 different books and spelling and poetry. We will add science, history and some other things as the curriculum goes on, and we're doing art twice a week.

Remember, I'm doing A Beka curriculum which is set up to use in classroom as well as homeschooling so it's pretty intensive.

"I don't know how old the devil was when he rejected God's authority, but my guess it would be 15"

8:30 - 3:00 p.m. is still a long time for the A Beka 2nd grade curriculum. Are you doing everything listed in the curriculum guides? There's much extra work and "enrichment" activities so one could fill up a whole year per lesson probably.

At any rate, if it works for you, keep it up. It's not so much the hours, but how much your child learns and enjoys learning.

We use A Beka also. We never follow the curriculum guides and are finished every day by noon with the exception of p.e. which we do after lunch.

There's many of us here who use A Beka and could probably help you get the 2nd grade down to a 3 to 4 hour day. How much time are you spending per subject or does it differ each day?

Are you using the DVD program or the regular curriculum? We follow the DVD's and the guide 100%. My husband won't have it any other way, and which is fine by me.

His brother was homeschooled by his mother and missed so much and because he was a wiggler when he was in public schools, he was pushed to the backseat and ignored basically.

Since we can be in control of his education, we want Kenny to actually get one.

He's a wiggler too, and a talker and we are afraid that in public school they would do the same thing to him as they did his brother, they refused to do anything with him unless my husband and his first wife put him on meds. We don't want this to happen at all.

Anyway, tell me what you're doing differently?

I will come back later and tell you more about our schedule, I have to see my kiddo off to bed. He loves me he told me without me saying it first --- for a step-mom that's a great thing!

"I don't know how old the devil was when he rejected God's authority, but my guess it would be 15"

Feels so good when they say they love you!
I have never heard the term wiggler, love it! That's what my little one is and I took him out for the same reason you guys chose to.
His writing has improved so much in a very short time. He also talks about the things he is learning, before I would say "What did you do in school today?" and he would always say "I don't know." I feel that he is learning so much more in 2 to 3 hours a day than he ever did going 7 hours public. Isn't it great to see them learning and connecting so much more?

I was told that mine was fine doing just a half an hour in his reading comprension book because he is reading in his other things too, already I see a huge improvment with it.
What is seat work? I also see you have arithmetic and arithmetic combonations, I assume it is a beka thing but what is the difference between the two?

For spelling I make a list of the words he has trouble with and then have him spell them out on his magnadoodle till he memorizes them. We had a spelling book but it was too easy. I also quiz him once in a while throughout the day. I say "Hey Tsion! How do you spell....."
He also helps me cook, clean and garden.
The lady that sold me my books said that A Beka is a good system if you start them really young but is difficult if they have already in public.
I wanted all Beka materials but she easily talked me out of it.
Before I met her I had looked at the A Beka website and holy smokes it was expensive! I was worried I would not be able to afford to home school. I bought my books used at her co op and spent only $65, I was so relieved.

Seatwork is the papers/worksheets that are provided for each class, Language, spelling, phonics, math and writing.

There is a different "test", and I use that term loosely, practically every day. They aren't really tests, but drills that are to be completed in a small period of time.

I know A Beka is expensive and if it weren't for the fact that the DH has a good job right now, we wouldn't be able to do the DVD curriculum at all. I'd have to figure out how to do it with just the books. And to be frank and honest, I just about went zonkers last year trying to teach him and we fought every day. This way, I just sit and watch the DVD with him, nudge him when he's not focused, and check his work and keep it all filed neatly.

We do some extra math drills because he doesn't seem to retain math facts so well. But other than that, it's idyllic.

"I don't know how old the devil was when he rejected God's authority, but my guess it would be 15"

A dvd would be so nice! In my paper work it said that we could not use online or dvd till next year.
I can hardly wait, my son loves the computer and I think he would take to it better than books. Have you checked into used curriculums to help you save money? Here is the website to the co op I was talking about. If I remember right she said that she can put people on wish lists for the things they want.
www.thecurriculumcoop.comAlso, I know there is used on ebay and I think I saw on here about used too but have not checked out that part of the forum.